Monday, 1 September 2014

A Creative Blog Hop

Welcome to Magpieheaven! Today I'm spreading my wings and doing something a bit different! My good friend, Kerry from Kezzy Art asked me to join her and other craft bloggers in sharing what inspires us to create in a creative blog hop! Please check out Kerry's blog here. She has been a great inspiration to me since I started craft blogging: she's wonderfully experimental and bold with texture and colour and she'll have a go at making just about anything!

First she asked me to say a little bit about myself.

I used to teach English Literature in schools and colleges and I've always loved books - I like to weave stories into my blog posts whenever I can.

I now tutor 'A' level students. I started crafting seriously, by which I mean really immersing myself in mixed media projects, about two years ago. I had made cards for friends, but after buying some PaperArtsy stamps from a little shop near the British Museum, I visited the PA blog and - wow - I discovered textures and paint! Now my family - Matilda 20 and Isaac 23 and long-suffering Mr Magpie have to wait until I've cleared Frescos, Distress Stains and teetering piles of corrugated card from the table before we can eat. Our 15 yr old cat Daisy likes to help me with projects, especially anything involving ribbons and fibres!

You can see here that Daisy is so eager to begin the next project, Matilda has to restrain her!

What am I working on now?

I can't show that, as it's a design piece and top secret, but my most recent project has been a little family of art dolls for Mary Jane Chadbourne's online class The Imaginarium, The Anthology of an Art Doll. What a great time we've all had over at The Artful Gathering creating dolls! I used power tools to create my own shapes.

Why do I create what I do?

That's such a difficult question! I think my creating is a bit like my Magpie's Nest! I love to gather all kinds of things that give me joy and put them together to make something new! I love songs and stories too. I hoard them in my imagination and then sometimes express them in what I create. This is an ATC inspired by Joanna Newsom's song Cosmia.

How does my Creative Process Work?

I suppose sometimes I start with an idea inspired by a story, a book or a song and other times I start to mess about with some paint and texture, and a song, story or book comes into my head and things just take off!

How do I stay Focussed and Motivated?

I would say that inspirational artists like Lynne Perrella -

The Natural World -

My Family -

The one on the left is my son -

and the inspiration of stories and plays keep me motivated. I also love to visit other blogs and see what my crafting friends are up to. I've tagged these amazing bloggers who will be telling you all about their creative process and hopefully providing you with lots of inspiration. Why not stop by the blogs of these really creative friends of mine on September 8th and find out all about what and why they craft?Deborah Wainwright - Lylac Spark CreationsDianne Marcoux - Magpiedi Magpiedi

17 comments:

Hi Julie Ann, A wonderful post lovely to get to know you a little more....your makes are so Beautiful and creative... you have a lovely family too....I must say Daisy is a big girl... she is GORGEOUS....Have a happy week ahead... Hugs May x x

Namaste to you my dear Friend,, how every so lovely of you to share you and yours in the nest, hasn't Matilda grown up into a beautiful young woman hhmm now you know how most of us birds feel about cats :), shows what a kind heart you have, and lovely .Isaac I love he's a ginger ,me too, we must stick together :), bless that special Mr Magpie.. I'm humbled and honored by your suggesting me for this blog hop and real scary, but I'll put my Big Girl pants on and just natter away, as I do and try to entertain the visitors. as you do in yours but full of MAGIC from the amazingly detailed creations to all the wonderful story's you blend into them I love the music you motivate to listen to while getting lost in your stories,, you are an awesome teacher, I love coming here to learn all sorts of things., I have to say we like the same things in a Magpie way :)., you inspire me to soar high with you thanks Cuz. I have to spend a little time at my desk to chill, I have been arguing with Roooooogers that new internet thing, gives me headaches, got my fix with this visit now to chill and create, have a wonderful day, ((( BIG HUGS )))...

Lovely to learn a bit more about you dear Julie Ann ♥You and your creativity are so special and inspiring.What lovely children you have and Daisy looks sweet too!I so enjoy seeing what you create and are up to.I also think it's fun that both you and I have a Mr Magpie behind the scenes supporting us all along the way :-)Happy September to you and yours!oxo

Fabulous post Julie Ann, great to see what and who inspires you but the most amazing thing about you is your wonderful imagination which has stored all your most creative memories and now allows you to share your literary wealth with us all keeping us enchanted and amused.

Seems we have some things in common when it comes to sources of inspiration and our motives behind creating what we do. :) I LOVE your art dolls (still haven't started my "Beyond Time" book yet) from the Artful Gathering Class!!!

And the project at the bottom is absolutely stunning! It reminds me of the magic of toy theatres which I love so much. Thank you so much for sharing this inspirational post!!!! I so enjoyed reading it!

Dear Julie Ann! What a wonderful post! Thank you so much for sharing with us about your art, your teaching and your most beautiful family!! including the largest cat I ever did see!!! teeheeheeYou are so humble when speaking of your own art, in fact, it is you who inspires so many others;myself, being one, as well as of your biggest fans!! much love and artful wishes! xoxo

A great read, Julie Ann (no surprises there!) - lovely to hear some more about you and your creative imagination. And fabulous to catch up with some lovely reminders of your always original, exciting work.Alison xx

Thanks so much for doing this, I had commented at the time on my phone but lost the lot and it never commented grrrrr. Thank you for all your kind words, your such an amazing lady and it's more you who inspires me. Loved all your photos, your children a beautiful/handsome and the cat I'm sure is extremely helpful lol. Hugs Kezzy :-) xxxxx